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Palestine's Abbas forms panel on ICC lawsuits against Israel

Xinhua, February 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered to fore a committee to follow up lawsuits to be brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israel in April, state-run Wafa news agency reported Saturday.

Veteran Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat has been nominated as chairman of the high-ranking panel.

It will comprise members from various factions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and intellectuals, according to the report.

The committee is aimed at preparing all needed documents and testimonies about Israel's war crimes committed last summer in the Gaza Strip and the Jewish state's settlement expansion.

On July 8, 2014, Israel kicked off a 50-day large-scale military air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 2,100 Palestinians and 70 Israelis dead.

On Dec. 31, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed on to join 20 international treaties and agencies, including the Rome Statute and the ICC.

Earlier last month, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that Palestine will join the ICC on April 1. Enditem